Duplex-fuse cartridge



A. FELDKAMP.

DUPLEX FUSE CARTRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED MIIYI2.-I2o.

1,397,804. y Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

INVENTOR a Fffdmz'fzifwy,

ATTORNEYS UNiTso STATES .earlier oFFIcE.

FREDERCK A. FELBKEL?, OF NEXVARZ, NEX/V JERSEY.

DUPLEX-FUSE CARTRIDGE.

Application led May 12,

T 0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. FELD- imirr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dlewark.l in the county of Essex and tate or New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Duplex- Fuse Cartridge and do hereby declare the following to be a iull, clear, and exactdescription oi: the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying dr i ings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The present invention relates, generally, to improvements in fuse cartridges; and the invention has reference, more particularly, toV an improved construction of multiplex fuse cartridges.

rllhe present invention has tor its principal object to provide a safe, checo, simply constructed and easily operated multiplexV fuse cartridge, having the general exterior construction and appearance oi a single fuse cartridge, so that the same may be inserted in the usual manner between the cartridge receiving clips connected in the electric circuit to be served, but which is so constructed that its fuses are connected permanently in series from cap to can, one or more of said fuses being rendered inoperative by manipulatable short circuiting devices, which, after the fuse in service blows, may be moved to provide a bridging electrical connection across the gap left thereby while at the same time putting in service another fuse.

Other objects of the present invention, not at this-` time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

With kthe various objects of the present invention in view, the same consists, primarily, in the novel construction of multiplex fuse cartridges hereinafter set forth; and the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the various parts, as well as in the details or" the construction thereof, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

The invention is clearlyV illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a iront elevation of one form of my novel construction of a multiplex Jfuse VSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 380,768.

cartridge; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same 5 `Fig. 3. is a longitudinal section of the same, taken on line 3 3 in said Fig. l; F ig. 4C is a longitudinal section of the same, taken on line 4 4- in said Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the same, taken on line 5 5 in said F ig. 3.

F ig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevation oit a modified form of my novel multiplex fuse cartridge; and Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of the same, taken on line 7 7 in said Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of another modified form of my novel multiplex fuse cartridge; and Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the same, taken on line 9 9 in said 8.

F 10 is a longitudinal section of still another modified form ot my novel multiplex fuse cartridge.

.Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawings, the reference-character 1 indicates a tubular casing constructed of some suitable insulating material. The ends of said casing 1 are respectively closed by metallic caps 2 and 8, which telescope over the said ends of said casi the same being immovably fixed in said relation by means of fastening screws 4, or by any otherV suitable form of fastening means.

Secured withinrthe inclosed chamber of the casing 1, intermediate the ends of the same, is a transverse metallic disk or partition member which divides the interior oi said casing into a fuse compartment 6 extending between one side of said partition member and the end cap 2, and a fuse compartment 7 extending between the other side of said partition member and the opposite end cap 3.

Extending longitudinally and centrally through the fuse compartment 6 is a fuse element or wire 8, having its outer end. suitably secured in electrical and mechanical engagement with the cap 2 andits inner end suitably secured in electrical and mechanical engagement with the metallic disk or partition member 5. In like manner, a second fuse element or wire 9 is arranged to extend longitudinally and centrally through the fuse compartment 7, having its outer end suitably secured in electrical and mechanical engagement with the cap 3 while its inner end is suitably secured in electrical and niechanicahengagement with the metallic disk or partition Vmember 5. It will be noted that the metallic disk or partition member 5 serves as a common electrical connection for each fuse element or wire, whereby the same are electrically connected iii series between the respective caps 2 and 3.'

Preferably one fuseV compartment is ot a slightly reduced diameter as compared with tho other, so that an annular shoulder 10 may be provided against which said metallicdisk or partition member is Seated, so that the same is maintained against turning out of' itsV normal transverse disposition Withinthe casing.

In the forni of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive of the drawings, I provide the metallic disk or partition member 5 with oppositely and outwardly struck loop or bowed portions Y11, which mutually serve to furnish a bearing in which is ournaled a transverse rotatable contact pin or Vspindle 12, the ends oi"V which project outwardly. through thel walls of said casing. One Vend oi? said contact pin or lspindle 12 is provided with an exterior head 13-serving to prevent axial displacement of the samein one direction, and secured to the opposite exterior end ot said pin or spindle is an exterior contact arm 14, Vfastened by riveting over a reduced extension 15 of said pin Orspindle which projects through the inner end of said ycontaetarm. Said-contact arm .1liV is of suflif cient length, that, when the same is posi-V tioned to extend longitudinallyalong said casing 1, the tree end` of the same will engage one or the other of said caps 2 and 3. Preferably the Jree end of said contact arm Vla is provided with a concave-convexly shaped portion -lwhich conforms'to theV circumterences or cylindrical surfacesof .the caps 2 and 3, so' that when engaged wit either cap the inherent spring or resiliency of theiarm will cause said portion 16 Vto rmly engage the cap surface, and be thereby retained .against accidental displacement. From the above Vit will be clear that in the form described I provide a very practical fuse cartridgeof the duplex type. In the use of the novel Vfuse cartridge of the duplex type, thus constructed, when the same is placed inservice in an electrical circuit, the contact arm 14 is turned so that its end portionlV is in .contact with said capr3,

with the consequence that the fuse element or wire 9 is short circuited, or in other words cut out of service. When thus arranged theY partition member 5, flowing thence through the pinV or spindle12 and contact arm 14 to the Vcap 3- troni whence it leaves the Yfuse overloads.

cartridge. Itwill be apparent that an overload or current in the circuit in passing through the fuse element or wire 8 will AVcause the 'latter to blow thus interruptingthe'` circuit until a new fuse is inserted. Assuming that the ,irst fuse element or wire 8 has blown all that it is 'necessary to do in order to place the second fuse element or Vwire 9 in service, and thereby operatively close the circuit again, is to turn the Contact arm la around, thereby removing the same from engagement with the cap 3 and causing the Vsame to engage the cap 2 (in the manner indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings). TheV contact arm 14 now be! comes a bridging conductor across the gap between the cap 2 and metallic disk or partition member 5 which has occurred by reason oit the blowing of the fuse -elementor wire 8, so that the current entering the said cap 2 is conducted Yby tiie contact arm 14 and pin or spindle 12 to' the disk or partition member 5, whence it flows through the second fuse element or wire 9 to the cap 3, thus 'placing saiosecond fuse element'or wire la guide in operating the contact arm when changingthe same from one operative position to the other, the caps maybe respec* Y i' tively 'dentitying marks such as the niark on the cap 3 and and the mark 2 on the cap 2, as shown in 1 or" the drawings.V Y

From the above 'description-l y itY l will Y given ditferentiating i; UE

readily understood that my novel construction of fuse cartridge provides a double service capacity, and maybe vvery easilyvmanipulated to place the same in service Va sec- Vond time, sothat for the slight additional Y Y vmaterial and labor cost of the disk 5V anc contact arm 14C withl the interconnecting Vspindle or pin 12, two independent fuses are provided' in the one device for vrbut little more than the cost of an ordinary single fuse cartridge, and vfor considerably less than the cost oftwo single fuse cartridges, to say nothing of the addedrconvenience otV havinga'seccnd fuse immediately ready for insertion in circuit. Another advantage ot my novel fuse cartridge is its safety, 'since should the contact arm be accidentally displaced trom engagement with the caps, no risks would befincurredA because. in. that event, both V:fuse elements orfwires 8 and 9" would be simultaneously in circuit, as the same areV connected in series,VV consequently the circuit would be protected under all circumstances: against the dangers incident t Referring now to Figs. 6 and?Y of the iioA drawings, I haveshown a slightly modifiedVV Y construction of'my novel multiplex fuse c'ar.-v j Y Y 13.0.

tridge, which is also illustrated inrthe duplex form and which operates in the same manner and with the same effects as already above described. In this construction the metallic disk or partition member is made somewhat thicker, and is provided with a dianietrically extending bore 17. Extending through the walls of the casing l and journaled in the bore 17 is a pin or spindle 18, headed, as at 19, at its lower exterior end and provided at its upper exterior end with an integrally formed longitudinally extending contact arm 20. The respective caps are provided with a pair of laterally spaced tits or bosses 2l, or other equivalent holding means, which serve to engage or straddle the free end of said contact arm 20, when the same is operatively engaged with a cap, to iold the same against accidental displacement.

Referring now to Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings, I have another modified form of my multiplex fuse cartridge of the duplex type which embodies, however, the general principles of my invention. In this construction tlie metallic disk or partition member 5 is provided with a suitably located internally screw-threaded opening 22, and in place of the pivoted contact arms `la or 20 of the previously described constructions, I provide a short'circuiting element in t-he form of a removable screw 23 adapted to be passed through an opening 24- provided in the caps 2 and 3 so that its threaded end may screw into said threaded opening 22 0f the metallic disk or partition member 5. It will be apparent that by passing the screw 23 through the opening of the cap 3 and engaging the same with metallic disk or partition member 5, the fuse wire or element 9 will be short circuited, but when the fuse wire or element 8 is blown, by removing the screw 23 and passing the same through the cap 2 into engagement with the metallic disk or partition member 5, the same serves to bridge the current across the gap between the cap 2 and disk or partition member 5 caused by the blown7 fuse 8, and at the same time permits the current to flow operatively through the fuse wire or element`9, thus putting the latter is service. In order to provide a clear or open passage for the screw between the caps 2 and 3 and the disk or partition member 5 when the fuse chambers are filled with the usual iiller powder, I provide sleeves 25 of insulating material extending between each cap and said disk or partition member, the same being secured and held in position by engaging their ends over annular bosses or shoulders 25 projecting from the respective caps and from each side of the disk or partition member concentric to their respective openings 24C and 22.

It will be understood that each fuse chamber 6 and 7 may be filled with a filler powder such as is commonly used in fuse cartridges, and which is adapted to absorb the vapors generated by the burning of the fuse element or wires 8 and 9, although in order not to interfere with the clear illustration of the construction of my invention, graphic illustration of such filler powder has been omitted from the drawings.

The principles of my invention as applied in the structures illustrative thereof and above described, may also be applied lto multiplex fuse cartridges of the triplex, quadruplex, etc., types, in other words to fuse cartridges provided with three or more fuse elements, This is illustrated by the structure shown in Fig. l0 of the accompanying drawings. In this structure I arrange a plurality of metallic disks or partition members 5 within the casing l, which serve to connect in series, between the caps 2 and 3, the plurality of fuse elements a, Z), c and (Z. Arranged in swiveling and electrical connection with the respective partition members 5 are the contact arms 00, g/ and a. As shown in Vsaid Fig. l0, the contact arms are relatively arranged so as to short circuit the fuse elements, a, o and c while leaving the fuse element Z in service; the contact arm a* being engaged with the cap 2, while the contact arm y engages the arm and the contact arm e engages the arm y. Wlhen the fuse d blows the fuse c may be put in service by turning the arm a away from the arm g/ into engagement with the cap 3. When the fuse o blowsi the fuse Z2 may be put in service by turning the arm y into engagement with the arm a while contacting with the cap 3; and when the fuse blows, the fuse a may be put in service by turning the arm a away from cap 2 and into engagement with arm y. It will thus be apparent that each fuse may be successively put into use, and that the multiplex fuse cartridge thus constructed and operated involves the same principles of operation no matter what the number of fuse elements may be.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the general arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts of .my present invention, without departing from the scope of said invention as set forth in the foregoing specification and as defined in the appended claims. I-Ience, I do not limit my present invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts as described in the said speciiication, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

I claim l. A multiplex fuse cartridge comprising a casing having external terminal caps on its opposite ends, a plurality of fuse elements connected in series between said terminal caps and means orconneeting in circuitl between said caps but one useelement'at a time. Y 1

2. A multiplex 'fuse cartridge coi'npiising,` a casing having` external terminal caps on fits opposite ends, a'tuse element connected its opposite endsfan internal metallic parti-VY tion memberintermediate the'ends of said casing, a Vfuse element interconnected between each cap land said metallicV partition member, and a'condncting means Vfor inter-4 changeable electrical Y connection betweensaidmetallic partitionimember and one or the other oisaid caps for the purposes described.

Il. multiplex fuse cartridge comprising" a. casinghaving externall terminal caps on its opposite veiids,an internal metallic partition member intermediate'tlie `ends of said casing, a fuse element interconnected between each cap aiidsaidmetallic partition mem-V ber, and a pivotal conducting means elec-v tricall'y connected with said metallic partition member and movable into electrical engagemeiit with either one or the 'other of A said terminal caps.

5V. A multiplex` fuse cartridge comprising a,casiiigliaviiig'external terminal caps on its opposite ends', an internal'metalli'c partij tion member intermediate the endsot said casing, a fuse element interconnectedY between each cap and said metallic partition member, a transverse spindle journaled to extendV through the walls of saidv casing and in electrical contact Vwith said'metallic 'partition member, and an external'contact arm Y secured to an outer end of said spindle,V the free end ofsaid contact'arin being'inten' changeably Vmovable into *electrical engagement with either one or the other of said terminal caps. 2

i6. A i liipleX fusecartridge'comprising a casingr having external terminal caps on its opposite ends,V an internal metallic partition member intermediate the ends of said casinfr.y a fuse element interconnected'between each cap and said metallic partition mein-Y *ber` a Vtransverse spindle journaled to eX- tendthrougli thewalls o said casing and in electrical Contact with said metallic parti- ',tion member7 an external Contact arm secured to an Aouter end ofsaid spindle, the freeend of said Contact arm being inten cliangeablyVV movable into electrical Vengage-A ment with either one or the other of said terminalV caps, and means for holdingr vsaid contract arm against accidental displacement 'v fromV engagedrelation to a terminal cap.

' ln testimony that l claim Vthe invention set forth abovel have hereunto set Vmy hand this ith day of May, 1920;'

iinnnnnioir ii.V FELDKAMP. lilllitnesses: Y Y

Geenen-D. RICHARDS, v Y BARBARA lV. StVr'r'iEiiLiN.A 

